


You'll Never Leave Gotham Alive

by AStandardName



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-15 23:00:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16942356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AStandardName/pseuds/AStandardName
Summary: The Dark Knight saved Gotham from the flames once. Now Gotham is facing an inferno that is going to require the Dark Knight to appear once more.





	1. Chapter 1

Jim Gordon walked slowly past the lines of neatly trimmed shrubs and listened to the sounds of summer. Children playing in their yards, laughing loudly as they played. Jim counted off house numbers in his head as he walked purposefully along sidewalk past all the white picket fences.

He saw a blue mailbox with gold embossed lettering of the family name. The gold word shining brightly in the summer sun made his heart skip a beat. He pushed the white garden gate open and walked along the pavers to the door step. All the family's out enjoying the Saturday sun remained unaware of the uncertainty that crossed Jim's face.

Jim released a slow breath and knocked on the door. Jim heard the sound of footsteps inside the house as he waited, unaware he was holding his breath.

The door creaked open to reveal the face of a dead man; Bruce Wayne. Jim thought Bruce had aged little in the last five years as he stood there with a cold look on his face.

Despite his unchanged expression Jim saw the pulse quicken in Bruce's neck. With a quick jerk of his head Bruce invited his old friend into his home.

Wordlessly Jim crossed the threshold into the house only to feel the point of a knife pressed against his side as Bruce closed the door with a loud click.

"Detective Gordon" said Bruce coldly as Jim turned to see a nostalgically familiar sight; a steely eyed Selina Kyle, holding him at knifepoint.

"Hi Bruce" said Jim uneasily, eyeing the knife.

"Why are you here?" asked Bruce leading against the wooden handrail leading upstairs, his arms crossed.

"I'm sorry Bruce" said Jim holding his hands up in placatingly. "There was no choice, I had to come find you".

"How did you find us?" asked Selina unevenly as she brushed the curtain aside to check the street. "Were you followed?"

"Took me a while to find you both" said Jim, "and no I wasn't followed".

Selina's eyes narrowed, "I swear if you lead trouble here I'll cut yo--".

"Mama?" called a soft sleepy voice from the top of the stairs. Jim's mouth fell open as he looked at the little girl rubbing her eyes as she waddled slowly down the stairs. "I heard voices".

"Oh sweetie it's just mom and dad talking with their friend" said Selina, her voice turning warm and motherly in an instant as she walked past Jim, slipping her knife subtly into her back pocket.

"Hi" said the little girl to the speechless Jim Gordon as Selina lifted her up into her arms. Side by side Jim had no doubts that the matching mops of curly brown hair made the girl Selina's daughter. But her cheeks and eyes were distinctly Bruce Wayne. As Selina carried the toddler down the stairs Jim watched as Bruce's whole body went tense, ready to strike.

Bruce took a calming breath and the death stare melted from his face as he turned to Selina and his child. "Daddy and his friend need to have a talk about grown up stuff" he said, his voice too becoming warm as he grabbed Jim's elbow and yanked him through a doorway into a dining room.

Jim watched over his shoulder as Selina whispered into the little girls ear as she walked them in the other direction up the hallway.

"Why are you here Jim?!" demanded Bruce rounding on Jim once they were out of sight of the two girls.

"Ra's Al Ghul" said Jim quickly. "He's back Bruce. They brought him back".

The pair stood in silence as Bruce processed what he just heard.

"That's not possible" said Bruce slowly.

"They found a way. I'm so sorry Bruce. I've spent two months chasing him in Gotham and I have nothing to show".

Bruce exhaled deeply as his jaw pulled tight. "Come back after nine o'clock" said Bruce making up his mind and glancing at the clock, "don't knock". With nothing further to say Bruce turned to walk back into the hall.

Jim reached out and grabbed Bruce's elbow, "is that little girl? Is she?" he asked grasping for words.

"Our daughter. Helena" answered Bruce pulling his arm free easily and walking to the front door.

Gordon let out a scoff as it dawned on him. Of all the things the Detective expected today, this was not even in the realm of possibility.

Bruce eased the front door open quietly as he looked at the Detective meaningfully. Gordon gave a silent nod and made to walk out of the house before being grabbed by Bruce.

"After nine. Don't knock" recited Bruce glaring at his old friend. Gordon gave another curt nod and stepped back across the threshold into the summer air without glancing back.

Jim Gordon walked back along the shrubs and white picket fences to his car, the weight of his choice to search out Bruce still upon his shoulders. Had he known the girl was in that house he would never have darkened the doorstop.

He keyed the ignition and drove his car up the street past the house with the blue mailbox with the gold letters spelling out Pennyworth. His chest felt tight knowing he'd have to come back again tonight. 


	2. Chapter 2

"She's asleep" said Selina wearily as she hopped up onto the kitchen counter where Bruce was finishing the sandwiches for their trip to the park tomorrow.

"Gordon will be here soon" said Bruce distracted. The couple both let out a heavy sigh as they finished their routine and moved to the lounge room to sit.

"He's going to ask you to come back to Gotham" said Selina, her face unreadable.

"What if I have to?" he said softly, reaching over to tangle his hands in her curly hair.

"Why?" she snapped back, "nobody will know we're even alive, it's not our problem!"

"He'll know" said Bruce darkly. "Ra's will know".

"Bruce. No. This is our life now" she said becoming animated. "Make me understand. Tell me why?" she said reaching up and turning his cheek so he had to look into her eyes.

She watched mixture of emotions cross Bruce's face as he stared into her eyes. No matter how much he tried to close himself off Selina could always rely on using her eyes to get him to talk.

"When I killed Ra's. Before he was brought back by the League" Bruce explained slowly. "Before I drove the dagger into his heart, I was so sure I would refuse. That I'd never be able to kill."

Selina let the words hang in silence before she prompted him on. "But?"

"But... he didn't threaten me. He promised to leave me to live my life. Promised to let me grow old and have a wife and children... then he promised to kill them".

"Oh" said Selina softly.

"It was you. I was thinking of you" he continued. "I was thinking of us older, a kid running around and then coming home and seeing you all dead. That's when I killed him" he finished quietly, a look of deep shame crossing his face.

"And if he's back..." said Selina, a look of horror dawning on her face.

"He'll use anyone and anything to get me to kill him again" finished Bruce.

A meaningful silence filled the room as both Bruce and Selina thought about their daughter.

"He won't find us" said Selina firmly.

"He will. If Gordon can, Ra's will" disagreed Bruce. "No matter what everyone in Gotham may believe, Ra's will know I'm alive".

"Then we have to go to Gotham and stick another dagger in his heart" said Selina standing up.

"Wait we?" asked Bruce. "No. Only I need to go".

Selina scoffed staring down Bruce as he stood up to argue his point. "B, you'd be dead a dozen times if I didn't come back and save your ass" she said smugly waving her hands around.

"And Helena?" asked Bruce trying to not shout and wake their daughter.

"Alfred" said Selina firmly. "He was good enough to for you to send to protect me wasn't he?" she reminded him bitterly.

"Selina" said Bruce, his anger abating rapidly.

"No it's fine" snapped Selina, "but you're not going alone. I'm not doing that again!"

"Selina" said Bruce softly, moving closer.

"I'm not. You can't do that to me again. Sending me away to leave you to fight" she said looking at him with determined yet watery eyes as he wrapped his arms around her.

Selina pressed her face into the crook of Bruce's neck as she allowed his warmth to envelope her.

"You're not going alone?" said Selina, half asking, half telling.

"We'll both go" conceded Bruce, "you can stop crying now". Selina looked up at Bruce, her eyes dry and her trademark smirk on her face.

"Could at least pretend to be tricked" she said rolling her eyes as she reeled him in for a kiss.

"I can't say no to you anyway, can I?" whispered Bruce against her lips.

"It's coz I'm your baby mama" said Selina letting out a laugh.

Bruce rolled his eyes theatrically before leaning in to press a kiss to her lips. Despite the looming concerns the pair let out a muffled laugh as they kissed breaking the tension in the room.

As Bruce raised his hand to run his fingers through Selina's hair a loud rapping knock came from the front door. Bruce sighed in resignation as he pressed his forehead against Selina's lips.

"Mama!" came a shout from upstairs.

"I'll put Helena back to sleep, you kill Gordon" muttered Selina annoyed. Quickly pulling away she headed upstairs to her distressed daughter.

Bruce pressed his fingers into the bridge of his nose and went to answer the front door. He supposed that he and Selina always work better together, as he swung the door open and glared daggers into the sheepish Jim Gordon.


	3. Chapter 3

Bruce glanced quickly in the rearview mirror and watched his tired toddlers eyes drift closed.

"She's asleep" muttered Bruce to Selina. Selina turned from the passenger seat and checked on her child quickly before turning her attention back to the passing streetlights.

"Everything is going to change Bruce" said Selina softly.

"It's still going to be here when we're done" said Bruce placing a reassuring hand on his wife's thigh.

"No. We're not going to be coming back" she said as she went silent and closed her eyes, trusting her husband to navigate his way out of the city.

_***_

_Walkingdown the moonlit alleyway Selina glanced up to see the small flicker of light in the window above. Her heartrate rushed as she took a run up and leaped up onto dumpster, kicked off the wall and deftly grabbed a drainpipe. Swinging herself across Selina grabbed the fire escape railing and pulled herself over without making a sound._

_She felt the newly healed, smooth pink skin over her wound pull as she slowly climbed towards the lit window._

_She climbed level with the window and peered into the empty room. She gingerly unlocked the window latch and slowly edged the window up and pulled herself through. Her blood pounding in her ears deafened her to her loud footsteps on the concrete floor as she crossed the room._

_She walked past the glowing firepit and into the next room. Seeing the darkened figure she let out a deep breath and walked straight towards it._

_"Selina?!" said Bruce turning, taken by surprise despite her dropping the pretense of stealth._

_Selina matched right up to Bruce and slammed her fist into his jaw. For his part Bruce barely budged an inch as he held his ground._

_Letting out a frustrated yell Selina slammed her forehead into Bruce's nose. Pulling back she saw blood leaking hard from his nose and lips but he simply stared._

_"You're okay" he said scanning her body. "You're here."_

_"Never. Again!" shouted Selina, punctuating her words with her fists._

_"I'm sorry" said Bruce still not defending himself._

_"Good. Now where is the food" said Selina still fuming._

_"Rucksack, by the fire" answered Bruce quickly._

_Bruce followed behind as Selina stormed off and started emptying out the rucksack of food onto the floor. He watched in pure relief as she picked out the best of the food and sat herself down next to the firepit to eat._

_"The bullet --" began Bruce._

_"Missed my spine. Fourteen hours of surgery to keep me able to walk and YOU WEREN'T THERE!" said Selina suddenly shouting._

_"I am sor--"_

_"Shut up Bruce. You don't get to do that" she said cutting him off. "I knocked out two orderlies and tore my stitches when Alfred told me where you were."_

_"Selina, I had--"_

_"No choice. So Alfred said" hissed Selina bitterly. "No more sorrys. Took me longer than I wanted but I'm here. What's the plan for getting the freak who shot me?"_

_"I have a lead" said Bruce wiping at the blood running down his chin._

_Silence filled the room, punctuated by the soft crackling of the fire. Selina finished eating and threw the food wrappers onto the floor._

_"I needed you" said Selina softly._

_"More than anything I wanted to be there" said Bruce._

_"More than being in Gotham during a siege?" snapped back Selina._

_"I had to" said Bruce. "Jerome shot you. He --"_

_"It's done. It doesn't happen ever again" she said letting out a deep breath. "If you want to make it up to me... then we need to catch that freak."_

_The pair sat in silence staring at the brickwork walls._

_***_

_Selina watched with satisfaction as one of Barbara's footsoldiers was slammed face first through the open window. She turned and felt her blood run cold as she saw Barbara thrust out towards her face with a stilleto blade._

_Selina tried to spin and backstep as she moved to raise her whip. She tried to turn her head to protect her neck as she watched Bruce sidestep in front of the blade, the cold metal sliding through his shoulder impaling him_

_She heard Bruce breathing forcefully through the pain as she saw the look of mad manevolence on Barbara's face as she stared into her former partners eyes. Bruce had stepped in front of the blade she realised._

_Holding Barbara's hand on the stilleto handle Bruce slammed his forehead into her face breaking her nose. He grunted with pain as she twisted the blade and he slammed his head into hers again watching her fall._

_Selina lashed out with her whip, disarming two of the last of Barbara Keans footsoldiers before  stepping in a kicking Barbara across her cackling face._

_"Bruce" said Selina softly as the footsteps of dozens of approaching goons filled the room_.

_***_

Selina watched the streetlights pass. Comiting the place that was the home of her family for four years to memory.

"What's the plan?" asked Selina snapping herself from her sentimentalism.

"Alfred. Then the cave and gear up" answered Bruce with a half shrug.

"Just going to wing it?" asked Selina with a sideways smirk. "I'm a bad influence on you."

Bruce said nothing but Selina could see the tensing of the muscles in his jaw, a tell tale sign of him biting back a grin.

"Helena is going to be wild tomorrow morning" said Selina glancing over her shoulder at her sleeping toddler. "Did you pack her blanket?"

"Not going to make that mistake twice" said Bruce rolling his eyes.

"Are we bad parents? Taking our daughter towards danger?" asked Selina, the worry written accross her face.

"Probably" said Bruce honestly. "But I don't see another choice."

"Me either" said Selina solemn. "So we have to be on our game okay?"

"What does that mean?" asked Bruce trying not to sound offended.

"Means we have been sat out of the game for a while. So let's not screw up and get cocky. For Helena" answered Selina sternly. "I don't like stitching you up."

Bruce silently nodded. He hated to admit but somewhere inside he had worried his time away from Gotham has softened him. Tightening his grip on the steering wheel he resolved to push past the cobwebs and get back to his old form.

"Get some sleep" said Bruce softly after a long silence. Selina reached a hand out and interlocked her fingers with Bruce's, resting their twined hands on the gearstick.

"Wake me when it starts getting light" said Selina with a yawn.

Bruce nodded as glanced at his wife's softening face as she drifted off to sleep.

"For Helena" he whispered giving her hand a soft reassuring squeeze.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This doesn't follow season five. Sorry.

**Author's Note:**

> AN: My take on post season 4. If I misstep any cannon, my bad. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't care. I genuinely don't care any more. I own Fox and DC Comics. Sue me.


End file.
